Electrical connectors can be used to connect electrical equipment, such as transformers, to high-voltage power distribution networks. It is often necessary to connect and disconnect electrical connectors during maintenance operations. During disconnection of these electrical connectors, an arc from the energized connector may extend rapidly to the nearby ground, endangering the life of a human operator and causing damage to the equipment. This sudden creation of an arc is known as a “flashover.” There is a higher risk of a flashover when separation of connectors causes a partial vacuum to surround the energized component of the connector assembly, since such a partial vacuum decreases the dielectric strength of air surrounding the energized component.